In the coming years, new homes in BC are about to get measurably healthier, quieter, more durable, and more energy efficient than those on the resale market, thanks to a regulation called the BC Energy Step Code. BCREA is collaborating with BC Hydro to ensure REALTORS® understand the BC Energy Step Code, so they can …
Filing a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) can seem like a tough call – what’s considered suspicious? And how do they help anyways? The truth is STRs are an easy and important way for REALTORS® to help protect BC’s economy from money laundering. They also play a key role in helping law enforcement identify money launderers …
By Ellen Baragon, Guest Contributor The federal government has extended the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for another month to help small businesses cover rental costs through August 2020. This follows a previous CECRA extension for the month of July. CECRA provides forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50% of three …
BCREA’s new online Disclosures in Real Estate (DIRE) course can help you better understand the scope of your disclosure obligations.
With an announcement on July 20, the BC Government is giving landlords and tenants information to help them plan for the near future. The ban on residential evictions for non-payment of rent will be lifted before September 1, which means full rent will be due in September. Repayment plans The government has published a repayment …
The latest round of changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program broaden its reach by allowing entities that use the cash method of accounting to use accrual-based accounting to calculate their revenues. This is one of the changes that the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) had advocated for to make the program accessible to …
By Ellen Baragon, Guest Contributor Even when REALTORS® adapt strict COVID-19 safety protocols (you can review BCREA’s guidelines here), hosting open houses increases the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Hosting open houses also results in another type of exposure for Realtors: exposure to public scrutiny. With British Columbians anxiously watching the latest transmission numbers, neighbours …
By Carlos MacDonald, Director of Land Titles, Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia If a property owner or buyer encounters a discriminating covenant in land title records, it can be a shocking surprise. Discriminating covenants are clauses that restrict the sale, ownership, occupation or use of land on the basis of sex, race, …
Last updated: September 11, 2020 BCREA has created this dedicated page to help real estate boards and REALTORS® access resources related to real estate practice and the COVID-19 crisis. We will provide new information and resources as they become available. In addition to uploading new content here, we will send out email updates to all …
The COVID-19 FAQ was last updated on June 26, 2020 to include updates on: LTSA Remote Witnessing Not allowing consumers access where they have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19 As appropriate continuing offering virtual services FINTRAC ID Tenant occupied properties – vacant possession Liability order Questions have been renumbered, as questions that are …